NEW DELHI: The Congress and BJP engaged in a war of words after Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar accused the BJP of preparing a list of 55 Congress legislators who would face ED or CBI raids if they refused to join the saffron party.Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar accused BJP of planning to topple the government in Karnataka and has prepared a list to target 55 legislators through central agencies. “The BJP was trying to topple the government. You are seeing ED, CBI raids. Why are they happening? It is to fear our MLAs that, if they don’t go to BJP, they will be raided. Such fear is there among all MLAs including me. Let them do anything, I’m ready for it,” Kashappanavar said. “The BJP has prepared a list of 55 MLAs to threaten them with CBI raids. The BJP agents have been sent to several (Congress) MLAs’ houses already to threaten them that if they don’t join their party, ED and CBI raids will be done against them, as there were illegal assets in their name. I won’t fear such things,” he added.The BJP strongly refuted these allegations, with Union minister Pralhad Joshi instead pointing fingers at internal Congress politics. Joshi countered alleging that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are engaging in horse trading within the Congress party amid speculations of leadership change in the state.“Has he (Kashappanavar) done anything (wrong) to come on the ED list? Those who have done wrong will come under ED’s notice, not others. Those who are correct need not worry and they won’t face any trouble. This claim about 55 MLAs is a conspiracy to divert issues,” Joshi said. “Siddaramaiah had recently said that Shivakumar doesn’t have the support of many MLAs, so both of them, to garner support on their respective sides, are using their money power. Both of them who are ready to buy MLAs are strong there (in Congress), so there is no chance for us (BJP) to enter and we don’t want to indulge in such things,” he added.This comes amid the ongoing buzz around a potential power shift in Karnataka, an issue that has resurfaced despite repeated denials from the Congress high command. Fresh calls have emerged within the party demanding Shivakumar’s elevation to the top post just days after the Congress leadership publicly asserted there would be no change in Karnataka’s leadership. Two Congress MLAs have now voiced their support for Shivakumar. Senior leader and former minister Tanveer Sait said the party must remain open to leadership changes. Earlier, Congress MLA HA Iqbal Hussain triggered speculation by claiming Shivakumar could be made chief minister within two to three months.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has attempted to shut down the rumours, stating that no leadership reshuffle is under consideration. He assured that an announcement would be made if any such decision was made.However, murmurs of an internal review continue to surface. Some ministers are reportedly under scrutiny over performance and corruption-related complaints, though there is no official confirmation from either the party or the state government.
About The Author
